That’s Your Funeral – 1972

A Hammer Special Comedy Presentation presented by The Rank Orgarlisation and released through Rank Film Distributors Limited
Copyright MCMLXXlI Hammer Film Productions Limited – All rights reserved
MPAA Approved Certificate
The characters and incidents portrayed and the names used herein are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character, or history of any person is entirely accidental and unintentional
Westrex Recording System
Made at Pinewood Studios, London, England
Processed at Rank Film Laboratories 81 mins
Storyline
Intense competition flares when the old established firm of Holroyds finds itself challenged by a rival funeral director who has set up shop almost on their doorstep. As chaos descends over the corpses, coffins and cremations, it transpires that the new business is really a cover for a cannabis smuggling operation. Then, things really start going to pot!!
Crew
Function | Credited | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits |
Art Director | Scott MacGregor | 57 | 22 Oct 1914 | 1971 | 56 | 14 |
Assistant Art Director | Don Picton | 55 | 22 Feb 1916 | 1 Nov 1981 | 65 | 15 |
Assistant Director | Bill Cartlidge | 29 | 16 Jun 1942 | 3 Mar 2021 | 78 | 4 |
Camera Operator | Chic (Rodney) Anstiss | 40 | 1 Feb 1931 | 30 Jun 2011 | 80 | 12 |
Casting Director | James Liggat | 52 | 1920 | 28 Sep 1981 | 61 | 29 |
Construction Manager | Arthur Banks | 18 | ||||
Continuity | Leonora Hail | 9 Oct 2008 | 3 | |||
Directed by | John Robins | 4 | ||||
Director of Photography | David Holmes, BSc | 44 | 22 May 1927 | 13 Apr 1997 | 69 | 3 |
Dubbing Mixer | Ken Barker (2) | 54 | 1918 | 13 Feb 2001 | 83 | 10 |
Editor | Archie Ludski, GBFE | 42 | 19 Jul 1929 | 10 Oct 2004 | 75 | 5 |
Hairdresser | Jeanette Freeman | 4 | ||||
Make-up | Eddie Knight | 46 | 14 Mar 1925 | 27 Aug 1996 | 71 | 31 |
Music Composed by | David Whitaker | 40 | 6 Jan 1931 | 11 Jan 2012 | 81 | 3 |
Musical Supervisor | Philip Martell | 64 | 6 Oct 1907 | 11 Aug 1993 | 85 | 103 |
Produced by | Michael Carreras | 44 | 21 Dec 1927 | 19 Apr 1994 | 66 | 82 |
Production Manager | Ron Jackson | 34 | ||||
Production Supervisor | Roy Skeggs | 37 | 1 Apr 1934 | 29 Dec 2018 | 84 | 45 |
Screenplay by | Peter Lewis | 1 | ||||
Sound Editor | Jim Groom | 47 | 1 Jan 1925 | 17 May 2016 | 91 | 9 |
Sound Recordist | Les Hammond | 63 | 1 Jun 1908 | 8 | ||
Wardrobe Supervisor | Rosemary Burrows | 36 |
Cast
Character | Actor | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Appearances | |
1st Funeral Director | Peter Copley | 56 | 20 May 1915 | 7 Oct 2008 | 93 | 3 | |
1st Policeman (Motorway) | Michael Sharvell-Martin | 27 | 2 Feb 1944 | 28 Oct 2010 | 66 | 2 | |
2nd Funeral Director | Michael Robbins | 41 | 14 Nov 1930 | 11 Dec 1992 | 62 | 5 | |
2nd Policeman (Motorway) | John J. Carney | 31 | 25 Aug 1940 | 24 Feb 1995 | 54 | 1 | |
Arthur (Funeral Director) | Bob Todd | 50 | 15 Dec 1921 | 21 Oct 1992 | 70 | 3 | |
Arthur (Railway Porter) | Michael Ripper | 58 | 27 Jan 1913 | 28 Jun 2000 | 87 | 34 | |
Basil Bulstrode | Bill Fraser | 63 | 5 Jun 1908 | 5 Sep 1987 | 79 | 4 | |
Butler | George Roderick | 58 | 9 Oct 1913 | 10 Mar 1976 | 62 | 3 | |
Council Chairman | Michael Segal | 47 | 1 Nov 1924 | 1996 | 71 | 1 | |
Emanuel Holroyd | Raymond Huntley | 67 | 23 Apr 1904 | 15 Jun 1990 | 86 | 3 | |
Grimthorpe | Dudley Foster | 47 | 7 Aug 1924 | 8 Jan 1973 | 48 | 2 | |
Grimthorpe's Driver | Stacy Davies | 1 | |||||
Invalid | Harry Brunning | 82 | 25 Aug 1889 | 12 Mar 1973 | 83 | 1 | |
Jenkins | Tommy Mann | 46 | 12 Jul 1925 | 96 | 1 | ||
Lord Lieutenant | Geoffrey Sumner | 63 | 20 Nov 1908 | 29 Sep 1989 | 80 | 2 | |
Man with Car (Petrol Station) | Michael Knowles | 34 | 26 Apr 1937 | 85 | 1 | ||
Mayor | John Sharp | 44 | 5 Aug 1920 | 26 Nov 1992 | 72 | 5 | |
Miss Peach | Sue Lloyd | 32 | 7 Aug 1939 | 20 Oct 2011 | 72 | 3 | |
Parson | George Howe | 71 | 19 Apr 1900 | 1 Jul 1986 | 86 | 1 | |
Partner | Claire Ruane | 82 | 2 Oct 1889 | 15 Oct 1988 | 99 | 1 | |
Pensioner | Verne Morgan | 71 | 19 Dec 1900 | 23 Apr 1984 | 83 | 3 | |
Percy | David Battley | 36 | 5 Nov 1935 | 20 Jan 2003 | 67 | 1 | |
Petrol Pump Attendant | Geraldine Burnett | 1 | |||||
Policeman (Crematorium) | Anthony Sagar | 51 | 19 Jun 1920 | 24 Jan 1973 | 52 | 1 | |
Porter | Ken Parry | 41 | 20 Jun 1930 | 5 Dec 2007 | 77 | 1 | |
Purvis | Roy Kinnear | 37 | 8 Jan 1934 | 20 Sep 1988 | 54 | 2 | |
Pusher | Eric Barker | 59 | 20 Feb 1912 | 1 Jun 1990 | 78 | 2 | |
Reporter | James Ware | 1 | |||||
Simmonds | Richard Wattis | 59 | 25 Feb 1912 | 1 Feb 1975 | 62 | 6 | |
Smallbody | John Ronane | 38 | 11 Dec 1933 | 15 May 2019 | 85 | 2 | |
Soul | Dennis Price | 56 | 23 Jun 1915 | 6 Oct 1973 | 58 | 5 | |
Town Clerk | Frank Thornton | 50 | 15 Jan 1921 | 16 Mar 2013 | 92 | 1 | |
Window Dresser | Hugh Paddick | 56 | 22 Aug 1915 | 9 Nov 2000 | 85 | 1 | |
Witherspoon | Clifford Mollison | 75 | 30 Mar 1897 | 4 Jun 1986 | 89 | 3 |
Production
FILMING BEGAN | 1 June 1972 | |
UK RELEASE | 1 July 1973 | |
STUDIO | Heatherden Hall, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England | |
LOCATION | New Southgate, London, England | Cemetery |
Windsor and Eton Railway Station, Windsor, Berkshire, England |
Footnotes
Bearing in mind their history, it was probably the subject matter of this tasteless, would-be comedy which appealed to Hammer. It cannot possibly have been the television series on which it was based, which could hardly be described as popular given that only six episodes (plus a pilot) were ever made by the BBC!
The film’s main interest now is that the opening titles include shots of the production crew behind their credits.
This is comedy actor Eric Barker’s last film appearance. His awkward gait, by the way, is not put on, but is the legacy of a stroke he had suffered some years before.
This also marks Michael Ripper’s last appearance in a Hammer film.
Details were complied viewing the actual film.
Source of viewing copy – The Hammer Graveyard Collection